Another tragedy, another platform for video game fearmonger

Published 7:00 am, Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Photo: The New York Times

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(NYT27) UNDATED -- Nov. 10, 2004 -- CIR-GAME-THEORY-2 -- It�s still a thug�s life in the latest offering in the Grand Theft Auto series, SAN ANDREAS, hugely popular since 2001. CJ pulling a wheelie on the BMX bike down in East Los Santos. Full 360 degree spins and flips are possible on the bike. (The New York Times) Ran on: 11-19-2004
This GTA: San Andreas hood is a take on Pacific Heights. XNYZ less

(NYT27) UNDATED -- Nov. 10, 2004 -- CIR-GAME-THEORY-2 -- It�s still a thug�s life in the latest offering in the Grand Theft Auto series, SAN ANDREAS, hugely popular since 2001. CJ pulling a wheelie on the ... more

Photo: The New York Times

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� The picture distance shows screen representations computers of the force play Counter Strike (taken up on Friday, 17. May 2002). The federal inspection station for youth-endangering writings decided not to classify the computer game as youth-endangering. In disrepute was the play, in which during close-to-reality representation humans are killed, because the Erfurter Amoklaeufer Robert stone houses was a trailer of this force play. (AP photo/Joerg Sarbach) DIGITAL CAMERA IMAGE less

� The picture distance shows screen representations computers of the force play Counter Strike (taken up on Friday, 17. May 2002). The federal inspection station for youth-endangering writings decided not to ... more

� In this undated handout image released by Rockstar, a still scene from the videogame "Bully" is shown. Rockstar Games is set to release a new title on Tuesday called "Bully" where players assume the role of Jimmy Hopkins, a 15-year-old wannabe tough guy who thinks he's the big fish in the pond, until he enters Bullworth Academy. (AP Photo/Rockstar) Ran on: 10-22-2006 HANDOUT PHOTO, NO SALES less

� In this undated handout image released by Rockstar, a still scene from the videogame "Bully" is shown. Rockstar Games is set to release a new title on Tuesday called "Bully" where players assume the role of ... more

Photo: Rockstar

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� Miami attorney Jack Thompson holds a copy of the video game, "Grand Theft Auto Vice City," during a news conference announcing the filing of a major wrongful death lawsuit by the family of the slain police officers, in the Four Points Sheraton Tuesday morning in Tuscslooa, Ala., February 15, 2005. Grand Theft Auto is one of the game the lawsuit is targeting. On June 7, 2003, 18-year-old Devin Moore shot and killed Fayette Police Department Officers Strickland and Crump and dispatcher Mealer. (Jason Getz/Tuscaloosa News) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY, MANDATORY CREDIT less

� Miami attorney Jack Thompson holds a copy of the video game, "Grand Theft Auto Vice City," during a news conference announcing the filing of a major wrongful death lawsuit by the family of the slain police ... more

Photo: JASON GETZ

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� Bruce Willis, as Lieutenant John McClane, searches desperately for a mad bomber in "Die Hard With a Vengeance" CAT

� Bruce Willis, as Lieutenant John McClane, searches desperately for a mad bomber in "Die Hard With a Vengeance" CAT

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Another tragedy, another platform for video game fearmonger

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A few hours after the April 16 massacre at Virginia Tech, long before anyone heard the name Seung-Hui Cho, activist Jack Thompson was on Fox News naming a culprit for the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history.

Once again, he said, violent video games were to blame.

"To be able to pull this off, with this high body count, Bill, one has to have rehearsed it in able to do it," the anti-game lawyer told Fox anchor Bill Hemmer.

As the afternoon stretched on, Thompson's speculation became bolder. "According to eyewitnesses, there was a flat affect on his face, as if he were playing a video game," he told NBC's David Gregory. By Wednesday, Thompson was trying to convince "Hardball" host Chris Matthews that Cho had been immersed in the video game Counter-Strike, playing it on his computer while in college.

A week later, it's clear that Cho not only wasn't playing video games at Virginia Tech but also that he was spending his time on that computer pursuing two of the oldest outlets for violent minds: poetry and playwriting. An inventory of Cho's room revealed nothing related to video games; the only early evidence that Cho had played a violent game appeared in a Washington Post article -- and that reference later disappeared from the story.

Last week's unfounded attack on gamer culture would be far less frustrating if it weren't something that happens at least once a year. Imagine how ridiculous it would seem if cable news interviewed alarmists who blamed professional wrestling or game shows (two things that Cho reportedly did enjoy in college) for a massacre before a suspect was identified. Yet video games are repeatedly presumed guilty from the start, with no correction or remedy when the facts prove otherwise.

Dr. Phil McGraw went on "Larry King Live" on that Monday evening, also before a suspect was identified, and gave his own anti-video game speech. And a year ago, Thompson was telling the same cable news anchors that the Rockstar video game Bully was a "Columbine simulator," even though the lawyer had never seen the game. When Bully was released in October with a Teen rating, the most formidable weapon was a slingshot, and the body count in the game (zero) was lower than several G-rated Disney films.

How does this happen? Unfortunately, I have some insight. In a previous life as a news reporter covering courts, I remember the strong temptation to go to lawyer Gloria Allred for quotes. Sure, half of what she said sounded like blathering nonsense, but she was so easy to get on the phone before deadline.

But the Thompson situation is infinitely worse, because his misinformation mostly goes unquestioned by anchors who clearly know nothing about video games. Most just nod their heads gravely or don't seem to understand what he's saying. And while Allred is one of many lawyers who offer opinions on legal issues, when it comes to video games, Thompson's seems to be the solitary number in the mainstream media's massacre-coverage Rolodex.

All of this is a shame, because it sets back important debate. There are real video game issues that need to be discussed intelligently, including the industry's confusing ratings system, minors interacting with adults in online games -- and, yes, the level of violence in Mature-rated games.

With each Thompson appearance last week, video game Web sites and young gamers on Internet message boards teemed with anger at his serial misstatements, in some cases linking to YouTube videos of Thompson and dissecting his claims point by point. Using Thompson as a mouthpiece is like starting a marijuana discussion by screening "Reefer Madness." If this is the foundation for the television media's coverage of video game violence, then what's the motivation for a young person to join the dialogue?

As critics look to blame video games such as Counter-Strike, Doom and the Grand Theft Auto series for the world's troubles, it's important to note that most young men in 2007 prefer video games over movies, television and other forms of entertainment. Simply learning that a young adult has played a violent game proves very little. Would you make negative assumptions about an 18-year-old in the 1980s just because he watched "Die Hard"?

Considering his age and gender, it's remarkable that Cho didn't play video games for the past four years. As for the now-missing Post report that he played Counter-Strike in high school, I defy you to find one 23-year-old male outside of Amish country who hasn't enjoyed a first-person shooter at some time in his life. If Grand Theft Auto and Counter-Strike were really training youngsters for mayhem, and everyone is playing them, our suburban streets would be a fiery pit of death and carnage.

For gamers hoping for a sensible video game dialogue in the mainstream media, there are a few signs that Thompson's influence is on the wane.

According to a TheStreet.com story last week, Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive settled a lawsuit against Thompson with an agreement from the activist to stop suing the company and contacting retailers to ban the company's games -- the equivalent to getting a signed statement from Don Quixote to stop harassing windmills.

Perhaps more significantly, at least one TV host drew the line with the lawyer during the Virginia Tech coverage. While most anchors at best nodded politely at Thompson's statements, MSNBC's Matthews repeatedly challenged his guest, pointing out that the activist had no hard evidence that Cho had ever so much as picked up a joystick at Virginia Tech.

"You are projecting other cases onto this case," Matthews told Thompson, who continued to insist that Counter-Strike was responsible for the killings.

Matthews followed up on the issue later in the hour, questioning Karan Grewal -- one of Cho's suite mates at the college, about the video games.

"I never saw him play video games on his computer," said Grewal, who added that he often saw his roommate watching wrestling and game shows. "Most of the times ... he had a Word document open and he just kept on typing away."